2003 Saturn VUE FWD from North America - Comments

23rd Jan 2008, 08:38

To the above comment: check the CPS (crankshaft position sensor). That is a known issue on the V6 VUE and not an expensive repair. As for your tranny, you have an Aisin 5-speed automatic, not a VTi, so your tranny will not experience the VTi/CVT failure mentioned here.

23rd Jan 2008, 12:18

25th Jan 2008, 14:16

I have a 2003 Saturn VUE, V6, FWD, and I'm experiencing the same "slipping" that has been described by a few other V6ers on this board. Mine happens when accelerating, at about 3000 RPM. Same deal as described by the others -- I let off the gas for a second and then push it down again and everything's fine.

I am not able to determine any other circumstances that tie one incident to the next, only that it always seems to happen at about 3000 RPM, while accelerating.

26th Jan 2008, 12:15

I have a 2003 Saturn VUE with the troublesome VTI. My dealership replaced the original VTI and now I have a leak and looking at approx $1000.00 repair. The car has 108,000 miles on it. I've also had axle assy replaced at 46,000 miles. $1000 is a lot of money to sink into a short term fix.

This is my third Saturn and in the past I've been very happy with performance and service. My experience with the Vue - not so much! I was hoping my next car would be a SKY, but have loss confidence in the brand. I feel Saturn is not standing behind this product.

20th Feb 2008, 06:44

Well here I am again. My 03 Vue with the VTI just went out again. they just rebuilt it back in July and it only has 6000 miles on it. They are replacing it again under warranty, but now I have to get rid of it. it is nothing, but a liability now. I am curious to see what they offer me on trade in. I will buy another Saturn if they work with me. I have had 2 Saturns and this is the only one I have had any problems with. I think they should stop repairing those vti's and just compensate the owners and try to do the right thing. The dealership has been very good with me. they are just bound to what Saturn dictates. There is no class action law suiy in Virginia yet and have talked to several lawyers, but until Saturn or the NTSB does something we are just screwed. Let me know if someone has worked out a settlement with Saturn or are they just blowing smoke up my --- long enough to let the warranty expire. thanks MJM

24th Feb 2008, 12:17

I have a 2003 Saturn Vue V6, and it started losing power and had a slipping noise to it, when I tried to pass in the passing lane. 1 week later it would only go 10 per hour in heavy traffic. It took me forever to drive it home.

I took it to a local shop that said it's the catalytic converters. This Vue has 3 of them. He said it was just the back one and it was going to cost me $276.51, but then he called back an hour later and told me that the congestion is in the front 2 also. Which in total is going to cost me $877.00. If I had gotten these parts from the Saturn dealership, just the back converter alone would have cost me $1500 and the front almost $700. I think this is just crazy.

Well I am supposed to pick up my car tomorrow after he fixes it. Let's hope that is all it is, but as soon as I get it back am going to put a FOR SALE sign on it and get rid of it. Although I have had the vehicle for 2 1/2 years, and this is the only problem I had encountered.

27th Feb 2008, 18:12

2003 Saturn VUE FWD and I think I am experiencing the VTi problem everyone seems to be reporting. only 40K miles on it, but when I tried to back out of my parking spot today it was like I was in neutral. the wheels weren't spinning at all either. I tried cycling through all the gears, but nothing worked. used it earlier today without an issue.

Does this issue sound like what everyone else has been reporting? I don't hear any noises, but this is the first time this has happened.

I got the extended warranty which runs out in September of this year so if I am to have problems I want them to be covered under the warranty. but I am just afraid that a mountain of problems are going to start happening. first it was the horn going off by itself ($800 to repair the air bag (under warranty) ) and now this.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. I'm calling the dealership first thing in the morning.

11th Mar 2008, 21:01

Wow, this website answered so many of my questions.

I own the infamous 03 Saturn Vue AWD with the VTi transmission. I bought it used back in 04 with 17,000 miles and loved it until last year when the AWD system AND the transmission went with 60,000 miles on it. The AWD system was $2000 to fix, but the dealer said not to worry about the transmission. They said they couldn't figure out what was wrong with the transmission, so they gave me a new one.

11 months later, the transmission is out again (accelerate, but not going anywhere sound familiar?). I towed it to the nearest dealership and that is the first time I've heard of this model having a major transmission problem. This was also the first time I've heard of the warranty, convenient that it's now out of warranty with 83,000 miles. If I would have known of the transmission problem or the warranty, I would have dumped the car. I still have 10 payments left.

It turns out they did not give me a new transmission the first time, but they just rebuilt it (which they also denied until I found the receipt proving they did do a substantial amount of work.) Also, the warranty is 1 year or 12,000 miles on a rebuilt transmission (which I think my grandma drives that in a year; I have a job and have to travel!).

Anyway I took this problem up with cooperate, saying they should have to pay for the transmission since its faulty, plus I was still under the 1 year. After giving me the run around for a week, the district manager offered to drop the price to $3,000 for a new transmission and said the main reason I didn't get a full reimbursement was because I bought the car used. This should have no bearing on their ruling, since I bought it still under Saturn's warranty.

The point is that Saturn is not owning up to their faulty product. They have an obligation to the consumer to produce a reliable product and if there is a major problem (i.e. VTi transmission) they should correct that problem. Shouldn't they have contacted us via mail if they extend the warranty on our vehicles or did I just not receive that letter? Where are the consumer's rights?

I will fight this with tooth and nail. I have contacted the BBB and the PA attorney general's office and I plan on contacting a lawyer in the morning. Rethink? Perhaps they should start thinking first. Needless to say I will NEVER purchase a Saturn again.